The fans gathered to witness the biggest signing the Birds have ever made, one which arguably heralds their induction into the big leagues, would have missed the object of their adulation had he had dark hair. For even with a heavy blond top, Ulf Hjortlind looked to be just another homegrown Eurasian teenager prowling the streets, part of the backdrop that fades from memory before it is remembered. He was not particularly tall, in fact at 1.79m short for a westerner, with a plain face not fully free of baby fat. Is this then the man who will carry the burden of providing firepower for the club? Certainly. "Division Two is a step down from the Liga Perdana," Hjortling joked. "Yep, I miss my parents, but I can do the job on the field, no probs." What about only Peter Åhsten and Tim Blissenbach among the others being younger than him? "I don't see the trouble with that. Experience is not the main thing, but Joe Stern and Chen Chiew-Yen can give me some pointers anyday."

Hjortling appeared to settle in with the rest of the team well enough, but a teammate, who wishes to remain anonymous, reported that a rift had already grown between him and one-time wunderkid Tim Hobson, no small ego himself. If this was so, neither player gave signs of it, with Hjortling chatting happily away with fellow young Swedes Åhsten, Magunsson and Tellskär, and Hobson hanging out with his usual clique.

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